CPI-M condemns censorship of Tripura CM

New Delhi, Aug 15 (IANS) The CPI-M on Tuesday denounced the refusal by Doordarshan and All India Radio (AIR) to broadcast the customary Independence Day address of Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar and sought action against officers who took the decision.

The Doordarshan and AIR had recorded his speech for the occasion. However, they informed him that the speech cannot be carried as it was and asked him to “reshape” it, the CPI-M said in a statement.

“This is a gross infringement on the right of a Chief Minister to address the people of his state on Independence Day,” the Communist Party of India-Marxist said.

“This act is reminiscent of the Emergency days and goes beyond as it seeks to gag the elected Chief Minister of a state. The central government is trampling upon the autonomy of Doordarshan, AIR and Prasar Bharati by such acts of censorship.”

The statement demanded action against those responsible for prohibiting the broadcast. It asked the Modi government to stop treating the Prasar Bharati “as a department of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting”.